Preparing for War
by chocoluvr
Summary: Ted Tonks, right before he goes into hiding decides to sell most of his great grandfather's paintings in order to leave something for his family to live on, while they were unable to work. He also finds a safe hiding place for two of the paintings.


**Disclaimer**: I don't own Harry Potter nor the artist Henry Tonks

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When Ted entered Sotheby's that morning, he was feeling nervous about selling a couple of his great grandfather's paintings but if he couldn't work and his life was in danger, he knew that the money from the proceeds of the sale could be used to support his family in these tough times. He always thought that it was ironic that his great grandfather, Henry was an artist who was also trained as a surgeon and who assisted in plastic surgery during World War I, especially since his great-great-granddaughter was a metamorphsis. When Ted entered Sotheby's he made sure that no one followed him there, since he didn't want the place to be attacked. 

"I'm here for my appointment with Judy Smith," Ted told the receptionist while holding the brown covered parcels. 

"I'll get her for you," the receptionist told him while he waited out in the lobby. 

Ted nervously waited for her out in the lobby, wondering how Andromeda would get the proceeds of the sale of his great grandfather's paintings and his drawings too, since he didn't want his future grandchild to see them and ask uncomfortable questions about the war. Ted even planned on taking a couple of the paintings by the art museum in Bridgehampton for them to display for safekeeping, hoping that the Death Eaters don't find him before then. When Judy came out to get him, Ted immediately grabbed his paintings and drawings and followed her into her office. 

"Let's see here, your message told me that you had a few of Henry Tonks's paintings for sale even some of his World War I drawings, do you mind me asking how did you acquire such pieces?" Judy asked him looking interested. 

"Henry is my great grandfather and these pieces were handed down through the family for generations. Besides the drawings, I don't want my own grandchild to see him in case he wants to ask questions that I don't feel like answering," Ted answered her trying to sound as honest as possible and trying not to reveal to her that he and his family were involved in a war right now, that in case if any of them died he didn't want any questions to be asked if they looked like the bodies in Henry's drawings. 

Judy looked at the pieces that Ted had brought with interest. 

"Well, we can auction these off at our November auction I think that we can get at least 1000 pounds for them each, and of course we do take a fee of 10 of the proceeds of the sale as our fee," Judy told him. 

"You wouldn't be able to auction them until November, I was hoping for something earlier," Ted remarked hoping that he would still be alive in November and able to pick up the proceeds from the sale. 

"If you had come in a few weeks earlier with these pieces, then they would have been in the June auction. We only have the two auctions, one in June and one in November," Judy answered him. 

"I guess that will have to do, but how will I receive my fee if I have to go out of town?" Ted asked her wondering how Andromeda and Nymphodora would receive the money to live on when he went into hiding. 

"If you have a bank account, then we could set up an electronic transfer for you then you wouldn't have to come here to pick up a check the money would appear in your account," Judy answered him while Ted thought about this.

"Would I be able to fill out the forms later, after I get that information from the bank?" Ted asked sounding interested in the idea that he didn't need to physically pick up a check for payment for the paintings and drawings. 

Later that day, he went by a muggle bank that was close to his home and opened up an account there. After he had done that he had filled out the forms required, so that Sotheby's would directly deposit his earnings from the auction into the account for his family. An hour later, Ted returned home to say goodbye to his family and to tell them about the account that he had set up for them that the proceeds from the sale of his great grandfather's paintings and drawings would go into that account. Later on that day he went into the art museum at Bridgehampton to donate a couple of Henry's paintings for them to show there, while Ted felt that they would be safe there, since he wanted to keep something from his family for his future grandchildren. He unlike Andy didn't see anything wrong with his little girl marrying a werewolf; he was amazed at how much like her mum she was in marrying someone that most people would disapprove of. When he entered the museum in Bridgehampton he was greeted by the museum curator, who looked excited to meet him since he was going to donate a couple of paintings that was done by one of their local artists. 

"Hello there, I'm James and I'm interested to see what you have for us," James told Ted sounding enthusiastic that he had a couple of original paintings from an artist who was from the area. 

Ted then pulled out the two paintings that he had brought with him, while James looked them over. 

"How did you acquire these pieces?" James asked sounding interested. 

"The painter is my great grandfather," Ted answered him trying to sound casual about it. "Well, I'm glad that you planned on lending them to our museum here for how long did you say," James asked.

"I didn't, but I don't know how long it would be before I can come by and pick them up," Ted replied hoping that James wouldn't want to take the paintings from him because he didn't know how long the war in the wizarding world would last. 

"That's great and I'm sure that the residents around here would like to see Henry's work in here, since he's had an interesting life story," James told him while Ted was relieved that he would accept his great grandfather's paintings for an indefinite period of time.

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**Author's Note**: Henry Tonks was a historical figure, he was a British artist who was trained as a surgeon. During World War I he assisted with plastic surgery by drawing the patients before, during and after their surgical procedures, who were soliders who were mutilated during the war.


End file.
